Page 60 of Sunshine & Ink

“I don’t have to prove anything to you, whore,” she spat, lunging toward me so hard that Command had to grip her by the arms and pull her back.

“Control yourself, daughter!” he said. “He has to suspect nothing.”

“Why am I here?” I demanded.

I was done feeling powerless in my own life. For my baby’s sake, I had to be brave, and I didn’t like where this was going.

Command only spared me a glance.

“Raker d’Sanguine claims he is not going to go through with this betrothal. But no one fucks over the Righteous without consequences. He will stick to his agreement.”

When one of the Elders emerged from behind a group of the members, I could see what the plan was.

But why on earth was this necessary? Raker had been excited about this marriage, wanted the power it would give him.

“He probably won’t even come for you,” Elizabeth said. Her hands closed convulsively over a small copy of the Holy Words in her hands. “Whywouldhe when you’re all disgusting and gross with some other man’s baby? I am going to make sure he repudiates you,” she continued. “Why would he want anything to do with a bastard child? You’re a whore.”

“Bullshit,” I said coolly. “You’re just jealous because I think you know, deep down, that Raker is going to come and you can’t stand it.”

Her face went red with anger.

“Elizabeth,” her father said warningly as she stalked up to me.

“He’ll give you up!” she cried shrilly. “He’ll come here and see that I’m the one he wants. I’m the one who can give him the life he wants. Not you.”

Was that true? It was true that marriage with me would give Raker absolutely nothing. There was nothing Sunni Twenty-Four could give him.

But I was done showing weakness. I shook my head.

“You know you can’t make Raker do anything he doesn’t want to,” I said warningly.

I didn’t know if Raker wanted to marryme,but I knew in my bones I was done kowtowing to Elizabeth just because I had been a whore.

She and I were jostled to the front of a long aisle.

A stab of cold fear flared inside me as I saw the entire wedding party spread out in front of us.

The afternoon sun slanted across the scene and the whole tableau felt frozen in place. A long green lawn, with guests all waiting motionlessly.

I could see what the plan was now. Force Raker here, without the protection of the Saints, and get him to marry Elizabeth.

There was no doubt this whole thing had been set up between the Elders and the Righteous to keep Raker in line.

I was forced to stand by Elizabeth at the front, looking absolutely ridiculous in my exercise shorts and T-shirt that stretched over my huge belly, while Elizabeth was dressed like this was her dream wedding.

I realized then that perhaps to her it was. Or perhaps she was so far gone in her delusional bubble that she thought she was actually going to marry Raker.

But I knew for sure that he was so damn stubborn there was no way he was going to accept being blackmailed into marrying her.

And there was somethingsheabsolutely could not accept in the fact that her father was usingmeto entice Raker.

Notherperfect wife material self.

We must have been in Righteous territory, and the long strip of green grass and gently tinkling fountain reflected their wealth. My eyes could hardly believe the power that went behind having an entire fountain full of water, dripping luxuriously down from one level to the next.

The Elder who had come to marry Raker and Elizabeth stood beside us. He was a powerful man in his 40s with a massive, muscular head, and his eyes passed by me with cold indifference.

“Do not touch me, whore,” he said.

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